Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
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Make a quick round of juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers for an affordable and leaner alternative to fast food! Add your favorite toppings for the perfect meal on busy weeknights.
Why you will love this air fryer turkey burgers recipe
Made from lean ground turkey, this is a much lighter version of classic beef burgers that still satisfies all of your burger cravings. With a unique Mediterranean twist, this is a nutritious and satisfying burger recipe that will become a weeknight dinner go-to.
- Good source of protein: Ground turkey is one of the leanest and most nutritious protein options available.
- No grease splatters: Air-frying burgers eliminates a lot of the mess and oil splatter compared to using a skillet or grill! Perfect for those cooler months when you’re craving some BBQ.
- Meal prep: Make and freeze these healthy turkey burgers ahead of time for meal prep and convenient dinners down the line!
- Quick and Easy: From preparation to plate, these burgers are ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients you will need
- Fresh ground turkey: A much leaner option than ground beef, turkey still stays perfectly juicy and flavorful when air frying. You could also use ground chicken.
- Fresh garlic: For flavor, because everything needs a little (or a lot) garlic!
- Spices: Start with a combination of cumin, salt and black pepper, but branch out and add other seasonings to this turkey burger recipe as you like.
- Red onion: Pairs well with the garlic and deepens the flavors of your burgers.
- Feta: This light and crumbly cheese is air fried right into your burgers for little pockets of cheesy goodness in every bite.
- Herbs: Dried oregano, fresh dill, and fresh parsley provide some nice herbal fragrance and flavor to the meat mixture.
- Spinach: Makes these burgers even more nutritient dense.
How to air fry turkey burgers
- Make burger mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, garlic, cumin, oregano, onion, feta, parsley, spinach, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Form patties. Separate the turkey mixture into four even portions, then roll each into a ball and flatten them down to about 1 1/2 inches thick.
- Air fry. Spritz the air fryer with a bit of olive oil and preheat to 350 degrees F. Arrange the turkey patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket, then cook for 8 minutes. Flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Assemble burgers and enjoy. Remove the burgers and serve them on your favorite burger buns with lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomato slices, and tzatziki.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
How to stop homemade burgers from puffing up
Making a slight dimple in the center of your patty before cooking will help keep it from puffing up while cooking.
Burgers puff up while cooking because the heat shrinks the outside of the patty while the steam from the juices cause the center to swell. The result of this is a domed or puffy burger that makes it hard to pile on all your favorite toppings!
Questions you may have about air frying turkey burgers
At 350 degrees F, cooked burgers should reheat in the air fryer in about 5 minutes or so. Depending on the size and power of your air fryer, cooking time will vary slightly.
If you’re cooking your homemade turkey burgers from frozen, I recommend bumping the heat up to 375 degrees F. They’ll be ready in about 15 minutes or so, just remember to flip them about halfway through cooking.
Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the burger. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, it’s good to go! You may need to account for carryover cooking, so burgers can sometimes be removed from the air fryer at 160 degrees F and left to rest for a few minutes.
This is a great way to use up a bag of frozen spinach! Just make sure it’s fully thawed and well-drained before mixing it in.
How to store turkey burgers
Wrap leftover turkey burgers in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze them the same way for several months.
Another option is to freeze the turkey burger patties before they’ve been cooked. If you go with this method, I recommend placing a square of wax paper or parchment paper between each burger patty to prevent sticking. You can stack them and keep them in a plastic freezer-safe bag or container.
Healthy sides for turkey burgers
For a well-rounded meal, pair your burgers with a healthy green salad like this asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette or a light and refreshing cucumber radish salad.
Create an even more classic combination (also my favorite to eat with them) with some air fryer potato wedges or french fries, or add a little twist with sweet potato fries and tahini sauce. Finally, a batch of air fryer buffalo cauliflower is a bold and slightly spicy pairing option.
More dinner recipes
- Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
- Chicken and Mushroom Skillet
- Doritos Walking Taco
- Honey Butter Chicken
- Crab Stuffed Shrimp
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Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey Burgers
- 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, about half of a small onion
- 3 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (this is optional but delicious!)
- 1 cup finely chopped and packed fresh spinach
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- olive oil spray
For serving
- brioche buns
- thinly sliced tomato
- butter lettuce
- tzaziki
- thinly sliced cucumber
Instructions
- Grease the air fryer basket lightly with olive oil and preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Add the ground turkey, minced garlic, ground cumin, oregano, red onion, feta cheese, parsley, spinach, salt, and pepper to a medium sized mixing bowl and mix until fully combined.
- Divide the mixture into 4 sections and roll each one into a ball, then flatten the ball to form a patty around 1 ½ inches thick. Repeat with the remaining meat to make 4 large patties of equal size.
- Place the turkey burgers in the air fryer and cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165℉.
- Enjoy these turkey patties as a burger with a toasted bun, butter lettuce, cucumber slices, thinly sliced red onion, sliced tomato, and tzatziki.
